Hudson vs. Medford: Post 100's playoff chances take a hit

By Zander Manning/Daily News Correspondent

Saturday

Jul 14, 2018 at 9:47 PMJul 14, 2018 at 9:47 PM

With the top four seeds in the Zone 5 playoffs all but solidified, Hudson Post 100 found itself on the outside looking in when it headed to Medford, needing a win and then some good fortunate in the next week to make the postseason.

MEDFORD — A lot was on the line for Hudson Post 100 when it came to Saturday’s Zone 5 showdown with Medford Post 45.

With the top four seeds in the Zone 5 state playoffs all but solidified, Hudson Post 100 found itself on the outside looking in when it headed to Medford, needing a win and then some good fortune until this Thursday to make the postseason.

But an 11-5 loss to Medford means Hudson’s last chance at a playoff bid would come via a whacky tiebreaker with Natick Post 107, which currently possesses a 9-5 record and would have to lose all four of its remaining regular season games.

With the loss, Post 100 falls to 6-9 on the season and its only hope of making the playoffs rests on winning out and getting a lot of help.

“This was an important game,” Hudson manager Ryan Bowen said, “and it’s too bad we couldn’t get it done.”

In the top of the seventh inning, Post 100 was trailing by seven runs. Sam Stout led the inning off with a four-pitch walk and with Mike Chaves at the plate, Stout advanced to third — first to second on defensive indifference and then to third on an error by Medford’s catcher.

After a Chaves walk, Johan Asencio reached on a fielder’s choice to shortstop, scoring Stout and making it 11-5. Asencio reached second base following a walk later on in the inning to Carter Dummett, but Jaylen Dummett flew out to right field, ending the ball game and giving Medford the victory.

“We had a lot of lapses in the field today and that ultimately came back to hurt us,” Bowen said. “The bats were there for the most part. … I think we just have to do a better job of minimizing damage and we just didn’t do that today.”

Those lapses in judgement Bowen mentioned included two errors and three careless mental mistakes by multiple infielders. Hudson's bats produced with Asencio going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a double and a walk.

“Johan has been hands down one of the best hitters on this team,” Bowen said. “[He has] one of the best attitudes on the team. …He’s a guy who looks forward to coming to play every single day.”

In the top of the sixth, Asencio led the inning off with a double to deep left-center field. Aaron Cornwell followed and was hit by a pitch. After Carter Dummett grounded out to third base — advancing both runners — his older brother drove Asencio in with a single up the middle, making it 11-3.

George Kelen followed with a double of his own that hit off the bottom of the left field wall, scoring Cornwell and advancing Jaylen Dummett to third base, making it 11-4.

“I saw a pitch I liked to drive and I drove it,” Kelen said. “As soon as I got to second, I said to myself ‘Thank god I got a hit.”

In the top of the second inning, trailing 1-0, Hudson scored two runs. Asencio led the inning off with an infield single to second base. After Cornwell was hit by a pitch and with Carter Dummett at the plate, Post 100 successfully pulled off a double steal with Asencio swiping third and Cornwell taking second.

With the infield playing back, Carter Dummett grounded out to shortstop, scoring Asencio and tying the game at one apiece. Jaylen Dummett followed with a single up the middle, scoring Cornwell and giving Hudson its only lead of the day at 2-1.

Hudson next plays Sudbury on Sunday at Riverside Park at 7 p.m.

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